Support the Water for the World Act

Clean water and good sanitation do more than just save lives, they can turn lives around. When children aren’t struggling with dehydration and diarrhea, they can go to school and get an education. Their parents can re-focus on tending their fields and earning an income. When water is available, girls can attend school instead of spending hours every day fetching water from distant sources. Schools with good, clean latrines help keep children, especially girls, in school.

Yet more than 780 million people around the world—half of them children—rely on unsafe water sources. Lack of access to water and sanitation is a major health issue: diarrheal disease related to poor water and sanitation is one of the top causes of child death in the world.

America already provides significant funding to improve access to clean water and sanitation in poor countries. But the new Water for the World Act establishes a specific goal: reach 100 million people with their first-time access to clean drinking water and sanitation. It calls for global cooperation on research and technology development and provides seed money to spur the deployment of clean water and sanitation .

Urge your Senators to strengthen America's ability to build partnerships to provide clean water and sanitation to 100 million of the poorest people in the world.

Letter to

U.S. Senate

I am writing to urge you to cosponsor S. 641, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act.

As Americans, most of us take clean water and basic sanitary facilities for granted. Yet more than 780 million people around the world do not have access to safe water, and 2.5 billion people live without proper sanitation. Diarrhea and diseases caused by lack of safe water and poor sanitation kill thousands of children a day worldwide.

Access to clean water does more than just save lives, it can turn lives around. When children no longer suffer from recurring illnesses, they can go to school and get an education. Girls, especially, often miss out on school because they spend hours every day fetching water from distant sources. When schools lack appropriate sanitation facilities, girls are more likely to drop out. UNICEF reports that over half of the world's schools lack safe water and sanitation.

I believe that ZERO children should die or miss school because of the lack of clean water. Senators Durbin and Corker introduced bipartisan legislation to reinforce U.S. investment in water and sanitation worldwide. S. 641 does not propose funding a new and expensive program; rather, it would make current programs more efficient and better targeted. The bill would help 100 million people have access to safe water and improved sanitation.

Please help save the lives of children around the world by cosponsoring S. 641. I look forward to your response. Thank you for your consideration.